A powerful solution for troubadour or duet gigs at a reasonable price.
Disclaimer: NUX provided me with this amplifier, and I got to keep it as compensation for my work. However, whether the content is sponsored or not, the company has no say in the things I mention in the video/post.
The NUX Stageman II is an all-in-one solution for a troubadour guitarist looking for a compact amplifier that can handle both acoustic guitar and vocal amplification for band rehearsals and gigs.
The amp features two channels: a guitar channel and a vocal channel. Both channels can be used simultaneously, with dedicated controls for each. Channel 1 is designed for acoustic guitar, while Channel 2 includes an XLR microphone input for vocals.
Unboxing the amp, I’m once again impressed by the build quality of these NUX amps, especially for the money. There’s a convincing weight to the amp, which, if well-designed, often leads to a big sound. Inside, there’s a 6.5” speaker and a 1” tweeter, which I hope will result in a convincing sound for both guitar and vocals.
Plugging in my Taylor 110e acoustic guitar, I am not disappointed: this amp sounds huge, and it gets LOUD if needed. We’re off to a great start.
I could easily do a gig just using the controls on the amp (and I suspect that was the idea behind the design). The three guitar modes offer varying amounts of compression for your playing style. I especially enjoyed the fingerstyle mode, which added just the right amount of compression to even out some of my fingerpicking inconsistencies.
Plugging in a microphone, I transitioned into full troubadour mode. Balancing the volume and reverb on each channel is fast and easy. As I increased the volume, I started getting some feedback from the amp. Luckily, NUX anticipated this as well: there’s a two-way toggle switch for phase to help avoid these issues.
Personally, I was already a happy troubadour, but then there’s the Stageman app as well. If you like to tweak things, this is the amp for you: there are options to route your signal, a wide selection of delays, modulation, and reverbs to choose from. There’s also a drum machine, looper, coffee maker, and a personal secretary included in the box… (some items listed might not actually ship with the amp).
Something I absolutely loved was the ability to change impulse responses (IRs) for the acoustic guitar. My Taylor has a rather nasal-sounding piezo pickup, but with the help of the Stageman II, I was able to get significantly better tones with the click of a button.
What I like about this amp the most is that it feels like it’s designed by people who play live and are familiar with the issues that might arise. You can easily do a gig by just twisting the knobs on the amplifier. But because it’s NUX, there’s always more using the app. The effects sound good, the ability to swap IRs can take your guitar’s sound to the next level, and the overall build quality gives you confidence that the amp will work great on the next stop as well.
If you want to get your own NUX Stageman II, you can use the affiliate link here: https://thmn.to/thoprod/600370?offid=1&affid=394
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